As a human, you may have experienced the troubles of acne or many times, but did you know that your cat may also have acne? As we all know, acne is actually just a skin infection, which usually occurs in the skin's hair follicles. Not only humans, but any animal can experience it

As a human, you may have experienced the troubles of acne or many times, but did you know that your cat may also have acne? As we all know, acne is actually just a skin infection, which usually occurs in the skin's hair follicles. Not only humans, but any animal can experience it. If you notice your cat has papules on the chin or other skin areas, they may have cat acne.

Most of the time, this isn't something you need to worry about, but if it makes you or your cat feel uncomfortable, there are things you can do to try cleaning it up and prevent it from appearing again. Let’s learn more about what cat acne is and how to treat it.

What is cat acne?

cat acne, also known as cat skin acne, is officially named hair follicle keratosis . This happens when hair follicles are blocked by excess keratin, a protein found in the skin. The affected hair follicles turn red, bulge, and may have a small amount of pus.

What does cat acne look like?

Cat acne usually occurs around the chin area and looks like small raised bumps under the chin and around the cat's mouth and chin. A cat chin acne lump may look like whiteheads or blackheads, very similar to what you see in human acne. If the lump is a blackhead, it may look like there is a little dirt under your cat's chin. In severe cases, you may notice bleeding, pus and hair removal and around the infection site.

What causes cat acne?

has several factors that can cause or contribute to cat acne. Here are some of the most common ones:

  • The immune system is poor. When your cat's immune system is not working properly, it can cause inflammation of the skin and is more susceptible to papules and infections.
  • stress response. Just like humans, stress responses trigger reactions in cats, which increase acne and acne.
  • food allergies . If your cat is allergic to food or to some material in the food bowl, it can cause pimples and acne.
  • hormone imbalance. Just like human teenagers get acne, adolescent cats that are experiencing hormone surges are more likely to develop acne. In a cat's life, its adolescence generally occurs between the ages of 2 and 4 years old.
  • hyperactive sebaceous glands. The more oil your cat produces on the skin, the more it will accumulate and block hair follicles and cause acne.
  • food and water tray. If you do not regularly clean your cat's food and water bowl , bacteria will accumulate on these surfaces. When your cat eats or drinks water from a bowl, bacteria can transfer to their skin, causing acne.

How do you treat cat acne?

The best way to treat cat acne depends on the severity of the infection and the root cause. In most cases, the best way is to remove anything that aggravates the cat's skin. Here are some of the easiest ways you can try to treat cat acne at home:

  • Using a metal lunch box water bowl. Plastic dishes can cause scratches and attach bacteria, making them harder to keep clean.
  • Keep the lunch box and water bowl clean. Disinfect them with hot water if possible, for example in a dishwasher.
  • skin treatment. Soak the cotton balls in warm water and apply them twice a day to the affected area. Be careful not to rub or try to open the spots. In some cases, a pet doctor may recommend using an antibacterial lotion and then using aloe vera gel to soothe the skin.
  • supplement omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids can help promote better skin health. For specific additions, please consult a professional pet doctor

How to prevent cat acne?

Even if you get rid of cat acne, it may relapse. In many cases, cat acne is a recurring disease that you may have to continue managing throughout your cat’s life.However, regular combing and keeping food and water trays clean can help prevent recurrence.


If you find that your cat keeps developing acne or getting worse, it is best to consult your concerns and concerns with pet doctor. With this professional approach, you may be able to discover whether there are potential medical problems or sensitivity that cause acne, and your pet doctor may be able to prescribe medications or treatments to help your cat stay away from acne.